Friday, February 1, 2019

Before we begin this all-LOCAL CONCERT ALERT post (including one on SHORT NOTICE), just a heads up that tomorrow's scheduled Chase Wigmore concert at The Rednecks Saloon has been cancelled, as per the quiet deletion of it's Facebook event page this morning. A reason for the cancellation wasn't announced, but public updates on the show never followed the event's postponement to February 2nd. Very disappointing, especially following the poll that got this show booked, but hopefully we see Chase back out there soon! Now, here's what you should know on all of these new concerts!

Local classic/hard rock cover quartet Soundcheck will return to The Water Tower Pub for one night only TONIGHT! Apologies for the short notice, this concert was quietly announced on the Sault Music Newsletter's Facebook page on Tuesday (oddly sans a venue calendar for this month), but at least Soundcheck publically acknowledged the show afterward via their own Facebook event page. Preceding their Soolebrity Showcase Saturday gig at The Machine Shop tomorrow night, TONIGHT'S Water Tower Pub show will be Soundcheck's first advertised stop there in four months. If you've missed Terry, Travis, Paul, and Glen at this popular Great Northern Road venue this winter, why not check out their hard rocking covers TONIGHT? This 19+ show has a 9:30 PM start time and no announced cover charge. See the above links for more details, and here's Soundcheck live!

Next up, local acoustic hard rock trio The Wyld Stallyns will return to The Rockstar Bar for one night only on Saturday, February 9th (a.k.a. one week from tomorrow!) Booked through Maxx Entertainment's recent working relationship with the venue, this is advertised as being the band's "debut at The Rockstar Bar", but that's not exactly true. Rob & Jesse played there in February and March of last year (video proof of the former here) before they settled on their permanent name and added Christina Speers on lead vocals, so you could still say this is the first full Wyld Stallyns show there post-name & lineup finalization. In any event, this should be a prime opportunity for fans to check out their hard rocking and often varied selection of covers, with crowd participation presumably likely! Presumably a one nighter due to Friday karaoke, a 10:00 PM start time is in effect for this 19+ show, which has no announced cover charge. Visit the official Facebook event page for more details!

Finally, a special tribute concert for the late Joni Radford will take place at The Rockstar Bar on Saturday, March 2nd! Entitled "Punk Rock Princess - An Evening in Memory of Joni Radford", the event will honour Joni's life, courage, and friendship with a night full of local punk music, with all proceeds going to both Sault Area Hospital and the St. John’s Ambulance Pet Therapy Program in her name. Alongside the bands, there will be a picture slideshow on display, tribute t-shirts and sweaters will be on sale, and there will be some level of guest speakers and presentations as well. Visit the Facebook event page for full details on the non-musical elements next month! A performance order has not yet been finalized, but 7 mostly punk bands will take the stage in Joni's memory on March 2nd, all but one in their first publically announced concert of 2019, so who can you see then? In terms of direct Joni links, how does the first live appearance in over 2 years from hardcore punk sextet Destroilet sound?

We last saw Destroilet at the first Guy Thiffault tribute show in December 2016, even longer still with returning co-vocalist Brenton Ellis, and it's great to see them back "later rather than sooner" at last! I'd fully expect Destroilet to break out their cover of The Rebel Spell's "Murderers" next month, which Joni sang backing vocals on in studio. Fans will also see online page-less quartet The Cover-Up (not The Cover-Ups) next month, who may break out frontman Dustin Jones' tribute song "Punk Rock Princess" for good measure, so keep watch for that! Punk trio Stegadeth (the only returning band from Joni's benefit concert last year) will also hit the stage, as will two of Tiffany & Johnny's other bands, namely punk/metal quintet Jack Spades (in their first show in 6 months) and their new Distillers tribute quartet Coral Fang. The lineup will be rounded out by indie-punk quintet Northwest and funk/hard rock quartet The Elements, who have been known to cover ska-punk live.

Stellar lineup of some of the best in recent local punk music, so genre fans won't want to miss this lineup next month! Co-presented by Kat Foisy and Case's Music's Carrie Suriano, the Punk Rock Princess tribute show has a $10 entry fee (ticket details forthcoming), a 19+ age limit, and a firm 8:30 PM start time. Whether you knew her as an avid punk concertgoer, bartender, or close friend, before or after her cancer battle, this will be a must-attend event for anyone who knew Joni and was impacted by her loss. I know she'll be there in spirit, so visit the above links for current details on this memorial concert next month, and stay tuned for more news soon. Thanks everyone!